Herman frasch



H. PRASGH.

Fractionally Condensing Oil Vapors.

Apparatus for Patented Aug. 24,1880.

WITNESSES 7 lNVENTOB .Z A, AM 04.

[a 82 $47 ATTORNEYS tLFEfERS, FHOTQ-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON. n C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN FRASOH, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENT, TO J. B. MERRIAM, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR FRACTIONALLY CONDENSING OIL-VAPOR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 231,420, dated August 24, 1880,

Application filed December 6, 1879.

To all whom 11? may concern Be it known that I, HERMAN FRASCH, of Cleveland, in the county of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and 5 useful Improvements in Apparatus for Fractionally Separating Out Oils from Vapors of the Same; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others Skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it reference being had to the accompanying rawing, which forms part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in 1 apparatus for fractionall y separating out oils from vapors of the same, in order to produce oils having a high firetest.

The object is to obtain eithera single grade of oil or several grades of oil which will not vaporize at a degree of temperature less than 212 Fahrenheit.

Heretofore, among various other methods of fractional] y separating oils from petroleum, a series of condensers respectively provided 2 \vitl1 baths of water at different degrees of temperature have been employed. It is apparent, however, that a bath of water cannot be practically maintainedat a temperature above212 F ahrenhit-its boiling-point also,

' 3o condensers employing baths of heated air have been used; but it is evident that a bath of air cannot be practically maintained at a constant degree of temperature. The low specific heat of air renders its use impracticable by reason 3 5 of the great amount of heat liberated by the condensation of the oil, and the consequently large condensing-surface necessary.

My improvement consists in the combination with acondenser, ofaliquid bath, substantially 40 as hereinafter described, capable of sustaining a constant temperature above 212 Fahrenheit, and a collecting-duct.

Referring to the drawing, which represents an apparatus for carrying out my invention, 5 A is a still. 0 and E are condensers. B is a pipe connecting the still with condenser G, and D is a pipe connecting the latter with condenser E.

Each condenser is provided with a series of tubes, respectively lettered 0 and e, in the two condensers, chambers 01 and 61 being respectively formed above and below each series of tubes, and having free communication with the latter.

The lower chamber, (1, of each condenser is provided with a discharge-pipe, f, through which the oil passes out, the uncondenscd vapor passing on to the next condenser.

I have used oil as the condensingbath, and with very good effect. I have also used tar. 6o Metals or alloys of metals having a fusingpoint above 212 Fahrenheit can also be used as the condensing-bath. Hygroscopic salts,

.such as chloride of calcium, chloride of zinc,

chloride of sodium, and similar salts, might 65 also be employed as saturated solutions, the boiling-point of said solutions being above 212 Fahrenheit.

It will be understood that I am not restrict ed to the foregoing substances; but any substance that is capable of being sustained at a constant temperature above 212 Fahrenheit may be employed.

The following is a good method of carrying out my invention: Petroleum being placed in the still and the distillation being begun, hot oil is pumped into the space surrounding the tubes of the condensers, the temperature of the oil for each condenser being different, the condenser which first connects with the still being provided with oil of the greatest temperature-for instance, oil having a temperature of 500each of the other condensers being respectively provided with oil at a temperature of, for instance, 100 less than its preceding condenser, the temperature of the bath of each condenser being maintained uniform.

All vapor of the oil which condenses at a temperature of the bath of the first condenser 0 will pass as an oil to the bottom of said condenser and pass out therefrom.

The composition of this oil is such that the boiling-point is above the temperature of the bath of said first condenser. The fire-test of this oil being high, its odorwill be sweet, its density great, and the value of the oil correspondingly improved.

The vapor which is not condensed in the first condenser passes on to the second condenser, and then is subjected to a treatment similar to that above described for the first condenser, the oil which is produced by this second condensing process being of a high fire- -test, but a less firetest than the oil produced by the first condensing process. The vapor not condensed in the second condenser can then be passed out therefrom and condensed finally.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In an apparatus for fractionally separating HERMAN FRASOH.

Witnesses:

JNo. CROWELL, Jr., WILLARD FRAGKER. 

